WATCHING and READY

 

SEPTEMBER 29, 2023

Luke 12:35 – 40

35 “Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning, 36 like servants waiting for their master to return from a wedding banquet, so that when he comes and knocks they can immediately open the door for him. 37 It will be good for those servants whose master finds them watching when he comes. Truly I tell you, he will dress himself to serve, will have them recline at the table and will come and wait on them. 38 It will be good for those servants whose master finds them ready, even if he comes in the middle of the night or toward daybreak. 39 But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into. 40 You also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.”

 

Have you ever experienced God’s presence in a surprising way?

What were the circumstances? How did that impact you?


One of the great realities of our faith walk is that God shows up in the commonplace moments of our living. Have you noticed that?

These are the kind of God moments that are exciting, when God shows up in an everyday conversation that has nothing to do with faith, religion, or church. We’re just talking about what we’re talking about and suddenly the whole thing turns into a holy moment, and we realize that God is up to something with us. I think of a conversation I had recently at one of our Community Dinners, a conversation started out about weather, summer, how much rain we had had. Without warning, the conversation turned toward an experience the person had that was unsettling, almost traumatic I would say, “Can I ask you a question?” the person said. “Sure,” was my reply. Before I really understood what was happening God showed up and spoke comfort into the persons life and experience.

I figure, the two disciples on the road to Emmaus must have experienced something like this when they met Jesus. When they finally realized that Jesus had been with them, they said, “Didn’t our hearts burn within us?” (Luke 24:32).

In our Luke 12 reading today, Jesus tells his disciples to watch and be ready for the Son of Man to show up when they least expect him to. Now I know that this passage in Luke 12 appears to point toward end-times and the second-coming of Jesus Christ which is undisputedly true. But what if Jesus intended a much deeper meaning and application? I wonder if part of what Jesus was referring to are those surprising God moments that happen whether we’re in prayer, reading the Bible, or just having a simple conversation. What if Jesus was suggesting that to keep watch and be ready also means being awake and alert for God’s presence and action in our daily sometimes rather mundane moments.

What if to watch and be ready is to be prepared for God moments when we least expect it. God shows up speaks through us words of hope, encouragement, and comfort into a distraught neighbor, or work colleague, or stranger. What if Jesus was saying to watch and be ready for the Son of Man to show up when they least expect him, means something deeper than preparation for a future event? What if Jesus was also saying, teaching, that to watch was to be “partners in the Gospel” with an eye looking and prepared for God’s presence, what if being ready refers to the preparation to be obediently eager, willing, discerning, and raring to go where God wants to take us.

I know this is a different way to look at this passage. Perhaps, this perspective does deserve some pondering though.

What does it mean for you to watch and be ready for the Son of Man (Jesus) to show up in your life?

What steps can you take to increase your ability to notice such moments?

WHOSE RESPONSIBLE?

 

SEPTEMBER 28, 2023

1 Corinthians 10:31- 32a

³¹ So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. ³² Do not cause anyone to stumble ….

 

In 1 Corinthians 10:31, Paul writes, “So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it for the glory of God. Do not cause anyone to stumble, whether Jews, Greeks, or the church of God—even as I try to please everyone in every way. For I am not seeking my own good but the good of many, so that they may be saved.”

Paul reminds us that we are responsible for our actions and our words toward God and toward others. It is a privilege that we get to do life with others in community, and part of that privilege comes with the responsibility of showing love to our neighbors and not causing them to stumble in any way. Just because we have the freedom to do many things, it does not mean that everything we could do will glorify Christ. We should be considerate of our actions and our words and consider if they are truly propelling us forward in our relationship with Christ.

We deny ourselves from things that harm us or may harm others for a cause greater than immediate pleasure. We deny ourselves because of an eternal promise to be in relationship with Jesus Christ and to glorify our heavenly father. It is the ultimate calling in life to live in a way that embodies our identity as children of God first, trusting that the rest of the details in our life will fall into place exactly as needed.

What responsibilities do you have in your life that not only help others but also glorify Christ? For example, what are your responsibilities as a parent or grandparent or friends or employer or employee?

STAYING IN OUR LANE

 

SEPTEMBER 27, 2023

 

Romans 14:1-13

14 Accept the one whose faith is weak, without quarreling over disputable matters. 2 One person’s faith allows them to eat anything, but another, whose faith is weak, eats only vegetables. 3 The one who eats everything must not treat with contempt the one who does not, and the one who does not eat everything must not judge the one who does, for God has accepted them. 4 Who are you to judge someone else’s servant? To their own master, servants stand or fall. And they will stand, for the Lord is able to make them stand.

5 One person considers one day more sacred than another; another considers every day alike. Each of them should be fully convinced in their own mind. 6 Whoever regards one day as special does so to the Lord. Whoever eats meat does so to the Lord, for they give thanks to God; and whoever abstains does so to the Lord and gives thanks to God. 7 For none of us lives for ourselves alone, and none of us dies for ourselves alone. 8 If we live, we live for the Lord; and if we die, we die for the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord. 9 For this very reason, Christ died and returned to life so that he might be the Lord of both the dead and the living.

10 You, then, why do you judge your brother or sister? Or why do you treat them with contempt? For we will all stand before God’s judgment seat. 11 It is written:

“‘As surely as I live,’ says the Lord,
‘every knee will bow before me;
every tongue will acknowledge God.’”

12 So then, each of us will give an account of ourselves to God.

13 Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in the way of a brother or sister.

 

 

Not too long ago I came across a quote from the late Rev. Billy Graham, in which he stated the following: “It’s God’s job to judge, the Holy Spirit’s job to convict, and it’s our job to love.” Read that again, “It’s God’s job to judge, the Holy Spirit’s job to convict, and it’s our job to love.”

You see, I believe that when we get those roles mixed up is when we as the community of Jesus lose our way. When human agents try to take on the role of God, or the Holy Spirit, is when the message of Jesus and the plan of God can become very distorted. God has said to us “Judge not”, Jesus taught us that an aspect of the Holy Spirit's work was to convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment. (John 14:16) 

I have never witnessed a person judged into the Kingdom of God. Someone who, after being shamed or put in their place for a choice that decided to take a step of faith or to repent. Fact is I have heard many stories of people who embraced Jesus and became a devoted follower, but I have never heard or read of an individual who repented or turned toward Jesus, because some human agent tried to convict them on their own. Yes, I have witnessed people being convicted THROUGH the power of God’s Word, after the Holy Spirit had been moving in their hearts, their response was not the result of the power of some human effort.

The reality is, however, I have witnessed lives changed through the power of love. I believe that is the greatest power Jesus has given us as his followers. LOVE to share.

In Romans 14:1, Paul writes, "Accept the one whose faith is weak, without quarreling over disputable matters." Now, acceptance isn’t saying the other person doesn’t have room to grow. Instead, it shows a level of humility, an understanding that God chose to accept you with all your flaws and weaknesses, just as he will accept all people who come to him. Think of it like this, if you were being confronted or challenged, how would you want someone to address you? Time and time again, story after story, testimonies abound of how our acts of love and acceptance of family members, friends, neighbors, and strangers have softened even the hardest heart.

In our interactions with others, Paul challenges us to ask the question “God, Where have you called me to speak the truth in love today? Who would benefit from knowing they are seen, heard, and accepted?”

Where can we let go, and let God and the Holy Spirit do what they do best?

Pass the Peace

 

SEPTEMBER 26, 2023

Romans 5:1-11

5 Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace^[a] with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. ² Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory.

³ We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. ⁴ And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. ⁵ And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.

⁶ When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners. ⁷ Now, most people would not be willing to die for an upright person, though someone might perhaps be willing to die for a person who is especially good. ⁸ But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. ⁹ And since we have been made right in God’s sight by the blood of Christ, he will certainly save us from God’s condemnation. ¹⁰ For since our friendship with God was restored by the death of his Son while we were still his enemies, we will certainly be saved through the life of his Son. ¹¹ So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God because our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends of God.

Yesterday we concluded our devotion on Grace and Peace with the challenge to be on the lookout for “divine opportunities” to bring God’s grace and peace into the lives of others we may meet in our day.

In our reading today the Apostle Paul begins with , “since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God.”

Again, today I want to invite us to sit with that for a minute— we have peace with God. You have peace with God. I have peace with God.

The way that we “have” this peace is through the actions of someone else, It is Jesus that has brought us into this peace so that no matter what is happening in our lives, “we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory” (Romans 5:2).

As we await the new creation of God’s Kingdom, we have been given a part to play. Sharing in God’s glory not only means we are now recipients of this glory, but this glory that is now ours we are to share with others. We are Ambassador’s of God’s glory.

We read today of Paul’s encouragement to us to rejoice when we run into problems and trials, as they help us develop endurance, eventually strengthening our “confident hope of salvation.” By the way, the trials we run into are not just our personal trials, but these trials and hard places may be the experiences of our beloved neighbors in our community, or even globally.

When we participate in the problems and trials of our neighbors and community, our mutual trials, we are told, produce endurance, develop our strength of character, and strengthen our confident hope of liberation. (redemption)

To share in God’s peace is to also share the sufferings of our neighbor.

A REASSURING SENTENCE

 

SEPTEMBER 25, 2023

 

Titus 1:4 

 

“May God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior give you grace and peace.”

 

 

 

I believe of all the things we could ever desire for someone, or of all the ways we could say what you genuinely want another to experience, to form a sentence to offer someone encouragement; these words that Paul uses to open his letter to Titus might just be one of the most reassuring sentences we could offer.  

May God, give you grace and peace. Now these words, may have been written a long time ago, but they are still a powerful inspiration for us today.   

Grace - may you find favor with God.
Peace - may you feel calm today, even in the midst of chaos.  

I just want to say, that whatever you’re facing today, whatever is “heavy” on your mind right now, whatever worry, uncertainty, or fear you may have; remember it is no match for the grace and peace of God.  

Our faith in Jesus Christ is well placed, for he alone is the savior of the world, he alone as we said last Friday “Is Our Peace.” Jesus is the one who gives grace and peace to all who put their confidence in him.  

So today, would you receive these words, repeat them often, and let them sink down deep into your soul. “May God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior give you grace and peace.”  

Grace and peace.  

Grace and peace. 

Grace and peace. ...

 

Perhaps today, each of us would be on the look out for opportunities to share this Grace and Peace with those we encounter. I pray that as we do, God may give you and me grace and peace too.  

Amen.

 

WHERE PEACE BEGINS

 

SEPTEMBER 22, 2023 

Ephesians 2:14a

For he himself is our peace...

 

Paul starts with a definition of what true peace really is. True peace is solidarity. It is not merely the end of hostility, the absence of conflict; it means being one. Anything else is artificial and short-lived and generally rather inadequate. I believe we know this is true. At times haven’t we made “peace” on superficial terms only to find it short lived and external? For example, if we merely agree not to fight, it is not peace. We know this because regularly, in our experience, such agreements result in some new eruption of conflict. That is why “peace pacts” among nations never seem to last, because it isn't really peace. It isn't oneness at all. It is only an agreement to stop it for awhile.

In today’s reading Ephesians tells us the secret of lasting peace. The secret of solidarity is a Person: he himself is our peace, we read. When Christ Jesus makes peace, between individuals or between nations--that peace will be a satisfying, permanent, and genuine peace. If I am comprehending what Paul is saying accurately the message is that in order to live at peace, you must have peace.

Perhaps the problem is that we only try to clean up the outcome of conflict. Today the scriptures point us the truth that God never starts there; God starts with the person. He says peace is a Person, and for us to live at peace with someone else, we must be at peace with Jesus Christ. So, the place to start, the origin of peace, is the settling of any problems between ourselves and Jesus Christ.

So, we end our week of devotions, with this promise of God: He is our peace.

I wonder if the basic problem of conflict is the result of a lack of peace in ourselves. When I have been in a place of conflict, I am usually upset, angry, and emotionally troubled. And everything the other person does is colored by how I am feeling, my emotional state. Does this sound a bit familiar? All I know is that it is impossible to solve the problem, the conflict until God’s peace floods my life.

When Christ is our peace, attitudes change, once we are at peace with Christ, then we place the matter into God’s hands, we know God has a solution, and then our own heart is at peace. There is profound insight in our passage today, with the declaration that Christ is our peace. He alone!

 

 

NOW THERE IS TRUTH TO BUILD ON

 SEPTEMBER 21, 2023

Ephesians 2:4-6

But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions — it is by grace you have been saved And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus...

 

Here we have the foundational truth of Christianity stated right here: We are made alive together with Christ. Notice that Paul says “with Christ” three times: We are made alive with Christ. We are raised up with Christ. We are made to sit with Christ. Jesus has come to live in us, and He has joined himself to us, and we are one with Him. That is the most important truth upon which to build all the rest of the Christian experience upon. This great, statement is the sure foundation that we are made alive with Jesus Christ.

Do you remember how the Jesus taught this truth? He said, I am the vine; you are the branches (John 15:5a). It is difficult to identify  where the branch ends, and the vine starts. They are one plant, sharing one life together. So, we are told that our identity is in Christ. We are new creations, a new life begins, we are connected with the life of Jesus Christ. The Old is gone.

Later in this letter Paul compares the church to a body, a body of which Christ is identified as the head. Have you examined your body lately? (OK no jokes or sarcasm) Our bodies are amazingly connected. This body metaphor is given to us to show us the intimacy of being One with Jesus Christ, to tell us and show us that He is our life.

There is a final point to notice here. These verbs are all in the past tense. This is something that has happened, not something that is going to happen. It has already occurred when you believed in Jesus Christ. You don't have to work toward it. It is something that is already true, and every Christian has this experience. We were made alive in Jesus Christ.

Thanks be to God.

A STRANGE EXPRESSION

 

SEPTEMBER 20, 2023

 

Ephesians 1:18-19

¹⁸ I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, ¹⁹ and his incomparably great power for us who believe.

 

The eyes of the heart is a strange expression, isn't it? Eyes are the organ by which we observe things. The mind also has eyes. If you listen to truth in any area, the eyes of your mind are grasping ideas. But the apostle tells us here that not only does the mind have eyes, but the heart as well. The heart needs to see things, needs to grasp truth, and understand it. In Scripture, you may know this, the heart is always used to represent the center or "core" of our being, the place from which prayer and moral actions originate. The heart is also the place where you have your will, your attitude, and intentions, and which is the source of your thoughts, actions, and words.

So, the Apostle prays for the “eyes of your heart” to be opened and enlightened so that with the heart’s eye we, and all followers of Christ, will know the hope to which God has called us, and that we might know and see the incomparably great power of God.

One example of the eye’s of the heart being opened is found in Luke 24. Perhaps you recall the story of the walk to Emmaus when the risen Lord appears to the two disciples. Jesus joins them, but they don't know who He is. He walks along with them and reveals to them all the Scriptures concerning the promised Messiah. Do you remember after the experience of the journey with a stranger, who was Jesus, the two travelers said to one another, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?” (v. 32).

I believe that the burning of the heart represents the heart's eyes being opened. It is the igniting of the heart, so that it comes alive and is deeply moved. It is this burning of the heart that the apostle desires for these Ephesian Christians, and for us too. You see when the heart begins to burn with truth, when truth takes root in you and you simply must respond to it, that is when you know with certainty that God is real, that the hope of your calling is indisputable, that the power of God’s presence is available, and that the riches of His power to those who believe are made known.

I think what is important to note about all this is that it is not enough to intellectually know the concepts and teaching of God’s truth. When the eyes of the heart are enlightened, when truth is moved from the head down to the heart, to the "core" of our being, the place where you have your will, your attitude, and intentions, and which is the source of your thoughts, actions, and words. Then our hearts, our will is properly motivated, and begins to grow tremendously, understanding the hope and power that is ours as our glorious inheritance in Christ.

May your hearts be “strangely warmed”, and the “eyes of your heart” be opened.

 

THAT'S A LONG SENTENCE!

 SEPTEMBER 19, 2023

Ephesians 1:3-14

3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. 4 For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love 5 he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— 6 to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. 7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace 8 that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding, 9 he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, 10 to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ.

11 In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, 12 in order that we, who were the first to put our hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory. 13 And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.

 

Today as we continue some reflections on the Book of Ephesians, I invite to remember that there are blessings available to us in the realm that Paul calls the heavenlies. Paul is not referring to heaven in these words. Rather, in the “heavenly realms” is referring to the unseen realities of our life now in Jesus. They are blessings that we experience now in our “inner life” by faith.

Paul was so amazed at the sheer magnitude of these blessings from God that he kept on writing and writing and did not stop until he reached the end of verse 14, a total of 202 words! That makes it the longest sentence in the Bible. Modern translators have added punctuation to this lengthy sentence. And if we really take time to consider what these blessings are, we will be absolutely amazed as well. They will make us realize what an immense privilege we have as God’s people.

The spiritual blessings that Paul wrote about in these 12 verses include being chosen before the foundation of the world (v.4), predestined in love as adopted children (v.5), accepted in Christ (v.6), redeemed and all our sins forgiven (v.7), introduced to the Mystery of God’s will (vv.8-10), receiving an inheritance (v.11) and being sealed with the Holy Spirit (vv.13,14). And this list is not exhaustive. We can add to these many other significant blessings that Paul mentions in other parts of his letter to the Ephesians: They are blessings of hope (1:18), power (1:19), peace (2:14), boldness of access to God (3:12), strength (3:16), spiritual gifts for service (4:7), and the whole armour of God (6:11).

And here is the best part: They are all ours – every one of them! What a great treasure of spiritual blessings we have! This thought is so well-expressed in the words of a familiar hymn, “Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth, Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide; Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow, Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside!”

Ephesians 1 reminds us that all of this comes to us in one great package in Christ. If you are in Christ, there is nothing to keep you from having all of them, every moment of every day. No wonder the Apostle Paul calls us to “Praise … the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ!”

GREETINGS

 

SEPTEMBER 18, 2023

Ephesians 1:1-2

Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, To the saints in Ephesus, the faithful in Christ Jesus: Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

 

SALUTATIONS

 

This greeting is the shortest in any of Paul's letters, however brief it is, it includes three simple but important things that we should note. 

First, Paul's credentials: Notice how he describes himself, an apostle... by the will of God. An apostle was one sent with a message. And, as he tells us in his letter to the Galatians, the Lord Jesus appeared to him directly. Paul did not learn what he knew about the gospel by discussing it with the other apostles. The truth that he imparts to readers he learned directly from Jesus Christ, and that is his authority. Therefore, it is a good thing for us to remember that when you read Paul’s writings you are reading an approved, called representative of Jesus. (See Acts 9)

Paul was always amazed by the fact that it was by the will of God that he was an apostle. He had no other credit or fame in his life than that God, in the amazing wonder of His grace, had called this man, who was such a bitter, intense, nationalistic persecutor of the church; had arrested him and changed him; and had called him out to be an apostle to the Gentiles. Take note, Paul gives no other credentials. He doesn't refer to his training at the feet of Gamaliel or his Hebrew background and pedigree or the brilliance of his intellect or anything else. He simply says, I'm an apostle by the will of God. 

Then notice how these Christians are described: saints... the faithful in Christ Jesus. Saint is a word at which we all wince a little. We don't like to be called saints because we think of them as being holier-than-we, so unlike ordinary human beings. Yet, I remind you that the saints of the New Testament are people like us, people who are burdened with struggles and difficulties, who have strife at home and problems at work and troubles everywhere else. The one remarkable thing about them is that they are different. That is really the basic meaning of this word saint. In the Greek it is derived from the word for holy. And holy means distinct, different, whole, belonging to God and, therefore, living differently. It isn't that Saints don’t have problems, but that they handle them in a different way. They have a different way of life.

Then comes the greeting of Paul to these believers: Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. The two great inheritances of the Jesus follower are grace and peace. You can always have grace and peace, no matter what your circumstances.

Now,

“To the faithful in Christ Jesus:

Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” Amen.

 

 

GIDEON, HE'S OUR GUY

 September 15, 2023

Judges 6:11-16

Then the angel of the LORD came and sat beneath the great tree at Ophrah, which belonged to Joash of the clan of Abiezer. Gideon son of Joash was threshing wheat at the bottom of a winepress to hide the grain from the Midianites. The angel of the LORD appeared to him and said, “Mighty hero, the LORD is with you!” “Sir,” Gideon replied, “if the LORD is with us, why has all this happened to us? And where are all the miracles our ancestors told us about? Didn’t they say, ‘The LORD brought us up out of Egypt’? But now the LORD has abandoned us and handed us over to the Midianites.” Then the LORD turned to him and said, “Go with the strength you have, and rescue Israel from the Midianites. I am sending you!” “But Lord,” Gideon replied, “how can I rescue Israel? My clan is the weakest in the whole tribe of Manasseh, and I am the least in my entire family!” The LORD said to him, “I will be with you. And you will destroy the Midianites as if you were fighting against one man.”

 

Judges 7:1-9 

So Jerub-baal (that is, Gideon) and his army got up early and went as far as the spring of Harod. The armies of Midian were camped north of them in the valley near the hill of Moreh. The LORD said to Gideon, “You have too many warriors with you. If I let all of you fight the Midianites, the Israelites will boast to me that they saved themselves by their own strength. Therefore, tell the people, ‘Whoever is timid or afraid may leave this mountain and go home.’” So 22,000 of them went home, leaving only 10,000 who were willing to fight. But the LORD told Gideon, “There are still too many! Bring them down to the spring, and I will test them to determine who will go with you and who will not.” When Gideon took his warriors down to the water, the LORD told him, “Divide the men into two groups. In one group put all those who cup water in their hands and lap it up with their tongues like dogs. In the other group put all those who kneel down and drink with their mouths in the stream.” Only 300 of the men drank from their hands. All the others got down on their knees and drank with their mouths in the stream. The LORD told Gideon, “With these 300 men I will rescue you and give you victory over the Midianites. Send all the others home.” So Gideon collected the provisions and rams’ horns of the other warriors and sent them home. But he kept the 300 men with him. The Midianite camp was in the valley just below Gideon. That night the LORD said, “Get up! Go down into the Midianite camp, for I have given you victory over them!

Judges 7:16-22 NLT

He divided the 300 men into three groups and gave each man a ram’s horn and a clay jar with a torch in it. Then he said to them, “Keep your eyes on me. When I come to the edge of the camp, do just as I do. As soon as I and those with me blow the rams’ horns, blow your horns, too, all around the entire camp, and shout, ‘For the LORD and for Gideon!’” It was just after midnight, after the changing of the guard, when Gideon and the 100 men with him reached the edge of the Midianite camp. Suddenly, they blew the rams’ horns and broke their clay jars. Then all three groups blew their horns and broke their jars. They held the blazing torches in their left hands and the horns in their right hands, and they all shouted, “A sword for the LORD and for Gideon!” Each man stood at his position around the camp and watched as all the Midianites rushed around in a panic, shouting as they ran to escape. When the 300 Israelites blew their rams’ horns, the LORD caused the warriors in the camp to fight against each other with their swords. Those who were not killed fled to places as far away as Beth-shittah near Zererah and to the border of Abel-meholah near Tabbath.

 

Sometimes, life doesn’t go as planned.

Today we read of a guy named Gideon. Not only was Gideon from the weakest clan in the tribe of Manasseh but also he was the weakest person in his family. He was definitely an unlikely person for God to choose. Later, God leads Gideon into battle against the Midianites, an enemy tribe, with 38,000 men. Then, God tells Gideon he has too many warriors, and if they defeat the Midianites, it’ll look like they did it by themselves. So, Gideon sends 20,000 men home. God said that’s still too many, so eventually, Gideon is left with only 300 men. The Lord gives Gideon and Israel victory over the Midianites with only the 300 soldiers, which certainly wasn’t what Gideon had originally planned.

When we think about the future and what God has in store for us, it’s important to remember that things won’t always go as we plan them.  There will be twists and turns, ups and downs, maybe even a few U-turns.

I was reading recently an article that said there are three, unwritten rules of plans we should follow:

1.) Plan to start over. Life is a series of starting over again. Learn to start over. When plans change, roll with it. You never know what God might be up to. Embrace the current season you’re in.

2.) Plan to say no. Sometimes, we have to say “no” to good things in order to say “yes” to the best things. We can’t do everything. Pray for wisdom to know where God would have you invest your time to serve and glorify his name.

3.) Plan to be creative. God’s plans can sometimes take us down paths we don’t expect. For Gideon, this involved using what he had, clay jars with torches instead of normal battle-ready weapons. Use the gifts God has given you today. Don’t worry about what other people have. Recognize that what God has given you with His help goes further than you can imagine.

THE NEXT STEP IS ENOUGH

 

September 14, 2023

 

Genesis 12:1-4

The LORD had said to Abram, “Leave your native country, your relatives, and your father’s family, and go to the land that I will show you. I will make you into a great nation. I will bless you and make you famous, and you will be a blessing to others. I will bless those who bless you and curse those who treat you with contempt. All the families on earth will be blessed through you.” So Abram departed as the LORD had instructed, and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he left Haran.

 

Genesis 17:1-9

When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to him and said, “I am El-Shaddai—‘God Almighty.’ Serve me faithfully and live a blameless life. I will make a covenant with you, by which I will guarantee to give you countless descendants.” At this, Abram fell face down on the ground. Then God said to him, “This is my covenant with you: I will make you the father of a multitude of nations! What’s more, I am changing your name. It will no longer be Abram. Instead, you will be called Abraham, for you will be the father of many nations. I will make you extremely fruitful. Your descendants will become many nations, and kings will be among them! “I will confirm my covenant with you and your descendants after you, from generation to generation. This is the everlasting covenant: I will always be your God and the God of your descendants after you. And I will give the entire land of Canaan, where you now live as a foreigner, to you and your descendants. It will be their possession forever, and I will be their God.” Then God said to Abraham, “Your responsibility is to obey the terms of the covenant. You and all your descendants have this continual responsibility.

 

Psalms 119:105 

Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path.

 

 

When I was young I was told that God “has a plan for your life”? You too? I am not that little child any more, I have learned something about God’s purposes and plans. Here is the key thing I have learned: God’s plan isn’t as complicated as we often think.

Today we read from the Old Testament, a snippet of the story of Abram. Genesis 12:1 says God told Abram to leave his native land and go to a place that He would show him. Leaving your home and native land, for a place you haven’t even heard of yet? That sounds frightening and intimidating! I don’t know how that message sits with you if you were asked to do the Abram thing. For me, I know it would take me more than a couple verses to do what Abram did in response. In Genesis 12:4, it says that “… Abram departed as the Lord had instructed …”

What strikes me is that God never gave Abram the complete picture or blueprint, or a little map. Instead, God's instructions to Abram were focused on the very next thing He wanted him to do.

If you have read the Abram story, you likely know that because of his obedience, God later changed his name from Abram to Abraham, which means “father of many.” And Abraham went on to become the father of many nations! Abraham appears in Hebrews 11 in the often called Bible’s Faith Hall of Fame. “It was by faith that Abraham obeyed when God called him to leave home and go to another land that God would give him as his inheritance. He went without knowing where he was going.” (Hebrews 11:8)

Abram is a great example of someone who lived by faith, even when he could only see a part of God’s plan for his life. Abram certainly wasn’t perfect, but his life was full of moments of obeying God, even when, to most of us, it did not make sense.

You see, when it comes to God’s purpose and plan for our lives, that’s often how God works, speaking to us through His Word (the Bible) and providing us guidance for the next few steps in front of us. It has taken me a long time to discover that this is all God’s plan really is. It is a series of next steps we take in obedience to God.

Psalm 119:105 says that God’s Word is a lamp to guide our feet and a light to our path. This verse wasn’t talking about the type of lamp you have in your bedroom that lights up the whole room. Rather, this verse was referring to what would essentially be a small candle. It wouldn’t provide a lot of light, only enough to see what was straight in front of you.

Like Abram, God isn’t going to give us the full blueprint for our lives. If He did, we wouldn’t need to live by faith and trust in Him! God wants one step at a time of obedient following.

The way I have it figured is that things turned out alright for Father Abram/Abraham and it will for us as well.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR US TOO

 

September 13, 2023

 

Joshua 1:1-9 

After the death of Moses the LORD’s servant, the LORD spoke to Joshua son of Nun, Moses’ assistant. He said, “Moses my servant is dead. Therefore, the time has come for you to lead these people, the Israelites, across the Jordan River into the land I am giving them. I promise you what I promised Moses: ‘Wherever you set foot, you will be on land I have given you— from the Negev wilderness in the south to the Lebanon mountains in the north, from the Euphrates River in the east to the Mediterranean Sea in the west, including all the land of the Hittites.’ No one will be able to stand against you as long as you live. For I will be with you as I was with Moses. I will not fail you or abandon you. “Be strong and courageous, for you are the one who will lead these people to possess all the land I swore to their ancestors I would give them. Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the instructions Moses gave you. Do not deviate from them, turning either to the right or to the left. Then you will be successful in everything you do. Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do. This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”

Hebrews 13:5-9 NLT

For God has said, “I will never fail you. I will never abandon you.” So we can say with confidence, “The LORD is my helper, so I will have no fear. What can mere people do to me?” Remember your leaders who taught you the word of God. Think of all the good that has come from their lives, and follow the example of their faith. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

 

Do not let fear stop you.

It’s easy to feel overwhelmed, I know you have been there. In those seasons, would you agree, that we often feel like we don't know what we are doing? 

Well, in todays reading, Joshua was in the same situation. Put yourself in Joshua's position.  Moses the only real leader the Israelites had ever had. He was what we might call the GOAT, (Greatest of All Time) and Joshua had been Moses’ assistant. Then, Moses dies, and the entire burden of leading the Israelites was on Joshua. Now put yourself there, your Joshua, what are you experiencing? There would be some heavy duty pressure on your shoulders, those are some big sandals to fill. I suspect we would all feel a considerable amount of FEAR.

 So, as God is giving Joshua instructions, in makes total sense that God says three different times: 

Be strong and courageous.

God knew Joshua had a huge task in front of him. He knew Joshua was probably scared out his mind. But God also knew that He had a plan and that He was going to go with Joshua. God was saying Joshua your my man. That is why Joshua could be strong and courageous, he knew he had God on his side.

Here is the comforting good news in this story: God will go with you, too. As God was with Joshua, God will be with us. Today, Our Creator says :"be strong and courageous", "Be strong and very courageous," Be strong and courageous, Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.” 

You may be dealing with an unexpected setback, as you follow God's path and call, or maybe your afraid about the future, or maybe you do not feel like you know what to do. God is with you. We might not get the full blueprint of where God is leading us, yet we can trust God with our future, knowing His plans are always, always, better than our own.

Finally, we must remember and know that God cares about us and loves us more than you can comprehend. No matter what life throws at you, God will never leave you nor forsake you. Life changes, but God never changes, and neither does His love for us. Our second Reading above ends with the truth that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. So remember this: God’s plan may not always be clear, but it’s always better than you can ask for or imagine. And when you truly know and believe that, you are ready for anything, because when God is at work anything can happen!! 

 I want to pray the words of the Apostle Paul over you today from  Ephesians 3:12-21.

_______

 

I fall to my knees and pray to the Father, the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth. 

I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. 

And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. 

Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God. Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. Glory to him in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever! Amen.

SOMETHING TO KEEP IN MIND

 SEPTEMBER 12, 2023

Jeremiah 29:1-14

This is the text of the letter that the prophet Jeremiah sent from Jerusalem to the surviving elders among the exiles and to the priests, the prophets and all the other people Nebuchadnezzar had carried into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon. (This was after King Jehoiachin and the queen mother, the court officials and the leaders of Judah and Jerusalem, the skilled workers and the artisans had gone into exile from Jerusalem.) He entrusted the letter to Elasah son of Shaphan and to Gemariah son of Hilkiah, whom Zedekiah king of Judah sent to King Nebuchadnezzar in Babylon.

It said: This is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says to all those I carried into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: “Build houses and settle down; plant gardens and eat what they produce. Marry and have sons and daughters; find wives for your sons and give your daughters in marriage, so that they too may have sons and daughters. Increase in number there; do not decrease. Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the LORD for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper.” 

Yes, this is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says: “Do not let the prophets and diviners among you deceive you. Do not listen to the dreams you encourage them to have. They are prophesying lies to you in my name. I have not sent them,” declares the LORD. 

This is what the LORD says: “When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfill my good promise to bring you back to this place. For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you,” declares the LORD, “and will bring you back from captivity. I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you,” declares the LORD, “and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile.”

 

What happens when we don’t see God’s plan? 

In the Old Testament, Jeremiah was a prophet delivering a message from God to His people who had been exiled to Babylon. This certainly isn’t where they wanted to be. It wasn’t the plan. Instead of God rescuing them right away, He tells them to “build homes, and plan to stay” (Jeremiah 29:5 NLT) and to “work for the peace … of the city where I sent you into exile.” (Jeremiah 29:7 NLT)

A few verses later, God says, … “You will be in Babylon for seventy years. But then I will come and do for you all the good things I have promised, and I will bring you home again.” Jeremiah 29:10 NLT

Seventy years! Let’s admit it most of us aren’t patient enough to wait for something for 70 seconds, let alone 70 years.

All of that is the context of the very next verse that you’ve likely heard before: “For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.” Jeremiah 29:11 NLT

Here are three things about God’s plan we should always keep in mind:

1.) Good plans can take time. God told the Israelites they would be in captivity for 70 years. A lot of the people hearing that message would never see the other side of that promise. Sometimes, it might feel like it’s taking forever for God to reveal His plan to you. Do you remember yesterday’s emphasis? God’s plan for your life is more about who you are than what you do. That truth comes into play here, we keep trusting our faithful God, and walking in his way with expectation.

2.) Waiting seasons aren’t wasted seasons. Notice that God didn’t tell the Israelites to just wait and do nothing for seventy years. He told them to work for the peace and prosperity of the city He sent them to. Wherever you are right now, God will use you to glorify his name. Don’t miss out on making an impact in the now, the present, by waiting for a situation God hasn’t put you in yet.

3.) God’s plans are good. Whatever season you find yourself in right now, the promise of Jeremiah 29:11 holds true: God does have good plans for you, plans for a future and a hope. It may not seem like everything is working out right now the way you would like, but if you continue to trust God with your future, you’ll see good on the other side of it.

Let Us Pray

God, we want your plan for our lives. We may not understand everything, but we know your path is the best way for us. God, we trust in you completely. Please reveal your path for us, in your perfect timing. Help us to bring glory to you, in the meantime. We pray in the name of Jesus, Amen.

A GOOD PLACE TO START

 

September 11, 2023

Matthew 6:33-34 NLT

Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. “So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today

 

Matthew 22:34-40 NLT

But when the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees with his reply, they met together to question him again. One of them, an expert in religious law, tried to trap him with this question: “Teacher, which is the most important commandment in the law of Moses?” Jesus replied, “‘You must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.”

 

Romans 12:2 NLT

Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.

 

James 1:5 NLT

If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking.

 

 

God’s plan for your life is more about who you are than what you do.

What should I do? You have probably asked that question a lot, especially if you have a major life decision to face.

A religious leader asked Jesus in the Bible: “Which is the greatest commandment of the Law?” (Matthew 22:36) In other words: what should I do?

In the next verse, we see Jesus’ reply: “’You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” (Matthew 22:37-39)

You see, I believe from experience, my own and that of others, when we try to figure out what God’s plan is for our lives, Jesus actually gave us the starting place. Jesus said we can start understanding life and purpose by doing two things:

1.) Love God.

2.) Love other people.

We may not always know God’s will, fully and clearly, but we can always continue to walk in God’s ways. What does that mean? It means that even if we don’t know what’s next for our lives, we can continue to obey what God has called us to right now. That means following Jesus’ way, living a life of truthfulness and honor, and loving every person God puts in our lives.

And here’s the best part: When we follow Christ, He gives us wisdom through His Holy Spirit. (1 Corinthians 2:12-13) He renews our thoughts (Romans 12:2) and helps us focus on the right things. When we surround ourselves with wise people (Proverbs 13:20), they’ll help us make the right decisions, too. And one of the best ways we can find wisdom is through prayer. In fact, James 1:5 says that if we ask God for wisdom, He will give it to us!

Let us follow Jesus' teaching and start with Loving God and Others and watch where God's spirit leads us.